Environmental Responsibility: Policies and Guidelines

Lending, internationally and domestically, for exhibitions is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions in the cultural sector.  

Given the urgency of the climate crisis, The Exhibitions Group encourages individuals and organisations to take action to reduce the negative environmental impact of exhibitions and touring, even if small and imperfect. 

There are plenty of guidelines available on how to reduce negative environmental impact when lending and borrowing to exhibitions. There are also tools being developed for carbon estimation, calculation and thinking about environmental responsibility. 

This collection of information and resources is specifically relevant to exhibition making and touring.   

If you know of any information, resources and tools that specifically support sector colleagues working to reduce the environmental impact of exhibitions and touring that we have not included here, please let us know by emailing seminars@theexhibitionsgroup.org.uk.

Policies and Guidelines

NMDC (National Museum Directors Council) UK Museum COP Report, 2024 

Review of the GIS (UK Government Indemnity Scheme) Environmental Guidelines 

GCC (Gallery Climate Coalition) is an international community of arts organisations working to reduce our sector’s environmental impacts.  They develop and share best practice, provide leadership on sector specific environmental issues, and work to leverage the collective power of their membership to achieve systemic changes. 

Bizot Green Protocol September 2023 refresh and Handbook #2 MOBILITY Towards Greener Transport 2023 

NEMO (Network of European Museum Organisations) / Deutscher Museums Bund 2023 Guidelines: Climate Protection in Museums 

Icon (Institute of Conservation) Environmental Statement 2020 (Addendum 2020) 

Icon Guidance note on environmental management for collections and climate sustainability